Method for automactically eliminating an errorring during the operation of an electrographic printing or copying device, electrograhic printing or copying device and computer program for said device

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for controlling a printer or copier device by which errors, such as paper jams, can be cleared automatically. A controller commands a module having the error to clear the error automatically. The commands are sent to modules beginning at the output of the printer or copier device and moving in a reverse direction to the paper flow direction of the printer or copier so as to automatically clear errors such as paper jams. Status signals indicating whether the error has successfully been cleared are reported back to the controller. A printer or copier for carrying out the method and a computer program for carrying out the method are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an electrographic printer orcopier device method and apparatus and, in particular, to a method foreliminating errors during operation of an electrographic printer orcopier device as well as to a printer or copier device that eliminateserrors and to computer program therefor.

2. Description of the Related Art

Printing and copying devices (which are referred to generally asprinting devices in the present disclosure) typically include a numberof component systems for a printer and each component system is composedof several modules. Examples of such component systems include theprinting component system, the input component system and the outputcomponent system. An example of a printing device is disclosed in PCTInternational published patent application WO 98/18052 A1. This deviceincludes a printing component system having two printing modules. Theprinting modules each include a photoconductor drum, a transfer module,a fixing module, and a module for determining the paper transport pathfor the printable media through the printing component system. Furthercomponent systems are also provided such as an input system and anoutput system which may, for example, include a stapler as a module inthe output system.

In printing devices of this type, errors can occur during the operationof the printer that need to be eliminated. For instance, congestion canoccur in the printable medium transport path in, for example, thetransfer module, or in the switching module or in the fixing module. Toeliminate these types of errors, the PCT International published patentapplication WO 98/18055 A1 discloses a shutter device to provide accessto the transport path. The reference discloses the construction of theshutter device as well as other adjustments that allow access to thetransport path. To eliminate the congestion of the printable materialsin the shutter device, service personnel are needed to operate theshutter device.

According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,240, an error, a paper jam orcongestion can be eliminated in a copying device without an operatorhaving to intervene. According to this patent, the following steps mustbe carried out: An initial examination is made to determine if the paperjam can be eliminated automatically. If this is not the case, a manualelimination of the problem will be called for. If the error can beeliminated automatically, sensors will determine in which componentsystem the error appeared. If the component system has been identified,the component system will be started by the control unit to transportany damaged sheets of paper further. If the transport effort is notsuccessful within a predetermined period of time, a manual errorcorrection must be performed. If the transport of the damaged paperthrough the component system has been successful, a further transitthrough succeeding components will be attempted in a correspondingmanner until the damaged sheet of paper reaches the output component.

The published European published application EP 0 810 484 A1 discloses atransport system for printable material in which individual componentsof the transport system can automatically execute a task after theyreceive control information from a central control unit. The componentsare designed such that they can implement a self-diagnosis and aself-repair. These actions occur in parallel with that of the centralcontroller. If the central control unit has determined that an errorexists, it gives control information in which the type of error that hasoccurred is specified to the components. This information enables thecomponents to eliminate the error automatically.

In the published European published application EP 0 416 919 A2, asynchronization between the image sampling and paper transport in acopier device is disclosed. If it is determined that the transport ofthe paper is too slow, the copying process will be stopped.

In the published European published application EP 0 583 928 A2, adevice in which the paper feed can be monitored in the transport path ofa printer device is disclosed. The rotation speed of the transportrollers for the carrying the paper is measured. If the measured rotationspeed does correspond to a predetermined shutter device, an errormessage is generated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for correcting an error in aprinting device, such as a jam in the printable medium which occurs in atransport path, without calling on service personnel. This and otherfeatures and advantages of the invention are provided by a method forautomatically eliminating errors occurring during the operation of anelectrographic printer or copier device. The method provides that uponthe occurrence of an error in a component, a determination is made as towhether the error can be automatically corrected in a main errorcorrection mode. In case the error can be corrected, the individualmodules are switched to an error-correcting mode in succession,otherwise the main error correcting mode is ended. The modules aretested in the opposite direction to the flow of the printable materialsalong the transport path.

In particular, a query is sent to the component system for a module tocorrect the error. If this is successful or if no error is present, astatus signal indicating that the “error has been corrected” istransmitted, otherwise the status signal the “error is not corrected” istransmitted. In case the module transmits the status signal that theerror has not been corrected, a determination is made as to whether theoperation can proceed without this module and, if so, the status signal“operation is possible” is transmitted, otherwise the status signal“error is not corrected” is transmitted. After each of the modules hasbeen queried according to the foregoing, if an occurrence of a statussignal indicating the “error has not been corrected” occurs in at leastone module, the error correcting mode is ended and the module whichregisters the error is reported. Otherwise, the error correcting modeended and a status signal is transmitted that the error has beencorrected.

Module control units provide for the operation of the modules and areunder the supervision of a main control unit, these module control unitsare used to check the modules for errors. If an error is determined tobe correctable, the modules are instructed to correct the error. It isadvantageous to check each module of each component system in successionand, in particular, to begin with the last module as viewed in the papertransport direction and to successively test adjacent and precedingmodules for the correction of the printable material error. At thecompletion of testing, either the error has been corrected or a statussignal indicating that the “error was not corrected” is transmitted.According to one aspect of the invention, if one of the modules has anoperating error, a determination is made as to whether it is possible tooperate the printing device without this module and, if so, to provide areport as such.

Thus, an error correction may be carried out separately for eachcomponent system in this manner. It is possible to test all of thecomponents, one after another, in the direction opposite that of thepaper transport direction on a module-by-module manner and to correcterrors, if possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a printer apparatus for printing single sheetsof printed material and showing in block diagram a controller system foruse by the present method; and

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 is shown a printing apparatus for printing single sheets ofprinted material. The illustrated printer is of a type as disclosed inthe PCT published patent application WO 98/18060 A1; however, acontroller system for carrying out the present method has been added.Only the components of the printer which are applicable to the presentinvention are described herein. For other component system descriptions,refer to the PCT published application WO 98/18060 A1, which isincorporated herein by reference.

A printing device DR, as shown in FIG. 1, includes three components: aprinting component system 10, an input component system 16 for inputtingprintable media and an output component system 30 for outputting printedmaterial. The printing component system 10 is assembled from modules.For example, along the transport path 50 and 52 lie printable materialswitch modules W, two printing groups D1 and D2, and fixer modules 12and 14. Construction of these modules is well known. The printing groupsD1 and D2 can be constructed as electrographic printing groups thatinclude a photoconductor drum on which charge images of images to beprinted are generated in a known manner. The charge image is developedwith a toner and is transfer printed onto the printable material bytransfer modules 44 and 46. The switch module W assists in feedingsingle sheets of printable material to the printing groups D1 and D2,either separately or sequentially, for printing on the front and/or backof the paper. The input and output components 16 and 30 for theprintable materials are assembled from modules as well. As is apparentin FIG. 1, the output switch modules W through which the sheets ofprintable material are conducted include output containers 32 through 36or may have output channels which lead to following units such asstaplers or the like. The input switch modules W move printablematerials from the input component 16 that includes supply containers 18through 24 for pages of material to be printed and an input channel 26through which material to be printed can be supplied from other units.

The individual components of the printing system DR are controlled bycomponent control units ST. The print component 10 is controlled by aprint component control D-ST, the input component 16 is controlled by aninput component control E-ST and the output component 30 is controlledby the output component control A-ST. These component controls ST arelinked with a main control H-ST that coordinates the operation of theprint device. The component controls ST are of a know design andtherefore are not described further. Examples of such control units areset forth in PCT published application WO 98/39691 A1.

If an error occurs in the transporting of material to be printed throughthe print device DR, such as a paper jam of the printable material, itmust be determined in which component and in which module of thecomponent the error has occurred. Furthermore, it must be determinedwhether the error is correctable without the intervention of servicepersonnel. The component controls ST are active and emit error reportsupon the occurrence of such errors and forward these error reports to amain control H-ST so that the location of the error can be recognized.Advantageously, the present method enables these error reports to beused to automatically eliminate errors when possible. For this to occur,the error must be one that can be corrected without the intervention ofservice personnel.

For example, if an error exists in a particular switch module W, anattempt can be made to clear the paper transport path by changing theswitch position. If this is not possible, an attempt can be made tochoose another paper transport path via adjustment of another switchmodule W. These same procedures can be applied for errors which occur ina printer group or in a fixing module. An attempt can also be made tocorrect the errors or to search for another transport path.

With reference to the flow chart of FIG. 2, the process for correctionof an error, for example, an error in a transport path for the printablematerial is shown. The process flow is depicted from the viewpoint ofthe main control H-ST. It is assumed for purposes of the present examplethat the error exists in the printer unit 10.

A determination is made in step S1 that an error has occurred in thepaper transport path which passes through the printing unit 10. Thisdetermination is made by the print component control D-ST. In step S2,the main error correction mode is switched on and a test is run as towhether the error can be automatically corrected. For thisdetermination, the error is reported to the main control H-ST, whichdecides whether the error correction will be attempted. Thus, forexample, a determination is made as to whether the error is correctablein the fixing module 12 and, if it is not possible to correct the error,whether another transport path can be set to the fixing module. If thisis not the case, then the error correcting efforts for this particularprint group is ended and an error report F1 is generated and supplied tothe main control H-ST so that in step S16, the main error correctingmode ends and a signal status F is sent indicating that the error hasnot been corrected.

If the error is automatically correctable according to step S2, thecorresponding component control D-ST is changed to the error correctingmode as shown in step S3. In the subsequent step S4, a command istransmitted by the component control D-ST to the module that lies at theoutput of the paper transport path. The command prompts this module,which is, for example, the switch module W-4 to empty the papertransport path. Thereafter, in step S5, the module attempts to clear thetransport path. Whether this was possible is determined in step S6. Ifthe error can be corrected, the assigned component control D-ST sendsthe status signal SS1 or “error corrected” in step S7. In step S8, aquery is issued as to whether all modules of the component areprocessed. If this is not the case, the process proceeds to step 9 andthe next module in the reverse direction to the paper flow path receivesa command to examine and, if necessary, to clear the transport path. Forexample, this next module for the error connection (which is thepreceding module from the paper transport direction) might be the fixingmodule 14. After this occurs, the result reverts back to step S5. In thestep S9, the status of the previously examined module can also becommunicated to the next module. When, as illustrated in step S6, it hasbeen established that an error cannot be corrected, such as using thestatus signal SSF, even though the preceding module can use thetransport path as indicated in Step S10, then a status signal SS2 istransmitted in step S11 to indicate that the error cannot be correctedbut that the transport path is clear. If this is not possible, a statussignal SS3 is transmitted in step S11 to indicate that the errorcorrection has failed and that the transport path through the module isblocked.

If the inquiry in step S8 determines the error modes of that all modulesof the printer component 10 are processed, then in step S13, the statusof all tested modules can be evaluated and in step S14 it can bedetermined whether all modules were successful in the correction of theerror. If this is the case, then in step S15 a status signal SS4indicating that the error correction mode has ended is sent out and theprinter device DR is possibly restarted. When the inquiry in step S14provides a negative result, then the error signal F2 is sent with theconsequence that, for example, the main control H-ST stops the printerdevice. The status signal F is transmitted that indicates that the errorhas not been corrected.

The present method has been explained by an example of a printercomponent 10. The input component 16 or the output component 30 or othercomponents of a printer or copier can be treated comparably.Furthermore, it is also possible to initiate the test within acomponent.

In conclusion, the method can be applied so that an entire printingdevice is tested, the testing initially testing the modules of theoutput component 30 for the printed material, then testing the modulesof the printing unit 10, and finally testing the modules of the inputcomponent 16.

The method can be effected via a device control for an electrographicprinter or copier device that includes electronic components such ashardware and firmware and, as the case may be, a processor in which acomputer program runs. The computer program, including computer programsstored on storage media such as computer diskettes, CD-ROMs, magnetictapes, optical storage disks, and hard disks are therefore within thescope of the present invention as well as computer program files forperforming the methods which are maintained on such storage media orwhich are exchanged or distributed over computer networks, such as LAN,WAN and the Internet.

Errors which occur in a paper transport path or transport path for othermaterials to be printed or copied within an electrographic printing orcopying device are automatically corrected as much as possible with thismethod. The individual modules of components of the printing device aretested in a direction counter to the direction of the paper or mediatransport, one after another, with the result that a module may be ableto or may not be able to eliminate the error. In case the error cannotbe eliminated, a further test is established to determine whether themodule having the error can be bypassed. A status report is generated atthe end of the testing process for every examined module and, dependingon the results, the printing process is initiated again or the printingdevice is stopped.

Although other modifications and changes may be suggested by thoseskilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventors to embodywithin the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications asreasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution tothe art.

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A method for automatically eliminating an errorduring operation of an electrographic printing or copying device,comprising the steps of: upon the occurrence of an error in a componentin the electrographic printing or copying device, determining whetherthe error can be automatically corrected in a main error correctionmode; in case the error can be corrected, switching individual modulesto an error-correcting mode in succession; in case the error cannot becorrected, ending the main error-correcting mode; querying components inmodules in a sequence opposite to that of a printable media transportdirection, said querying including, transmitting a command to correctthe error to a module, transmitting a status signal indicating that theerror is corrected if the error correction is successful or if no erroris present, otherwise transmitting a status signal indicating the erroris not corrected; if the status signal indicating that the error has notbeen corrected is transmitted, making a determination as to whetheroperation of the electrographic printing or copying device can proceedwithout the module that has the error and, if so, transmitting a statussignal indicating that operation is possible, otherwise transmitting astatus signal that the error is not corrected; and if after handling allof the modules effected by the error, the status signal indicates thatthe error has not been corrected in at least one module, then ending theerror-correcting mode and reporting the module registering the error,otherwise ending the error-correcting mode and transmitting a statussignal indicating that the error has been corrected.
 14. A method asclaimed in claim 13 further comprising a step of: in case a moduleindicates a status signal showing that an error has not been corrected,determining whether the module can be bypassed; and if the module can bebypassed, then transmitting a status signal indicating operationpossible, otherwise transmitting a status signal indicating error notcorrected.
 15. A method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising astep of: controlling error correction by a dedicated control unit of aquerying component that is controlled by a main control unit of theprinting or copying device.
 16. A method as claimed in claim 13, furthercomprising the step of: separately testing the plurality ofconsecutively arranged components of the printing or copying device. 17.A method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of:initiating testing of a plurality of consecutively arranged componentsof the printing or copying device beginning with a last component in adirection of the printable media transport path and proceeding throughto a first component in the printable media transport flow path.
 18. Amethod as claimed in claim 13 wherein said components of the printing orcopying device include input components and output components forprintable media.
 19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein printcomponents are disposed in multiple groups between said input componentsand said output components and further comprising at least one switchmodule so that a plurality of transport paths are defined for printablemedia.
 20. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said modules aretransport modules for transporting printable media and a correction isundertaken to correct a paper jam of at least one sheet of the printablemedia.
 21. Use of a method for correcting errors in modules in aprintable media transport path of an electrographic printing or copyingdevice, comprising: a method for automatically eliminating an errorduring the operation of an electrographic printing or copying device,comprising the steps of: upon the occurrence of an error in a component,determining whether the error can be automatically corrected in a mainerror correction mode; in case the error can be corrected, switchingindividual modules to an error-correcting mode in succession; in casethe error cannot be corrected, ending the main error-correcting mode;querying components in modules in a sequence opposite to that of aprintable media transport path, said querying including, transmitting acommand to correct the error to a module, transmitting a status signalindicating error corrected if the error correction is successful or ifno error is present, otherwise transmitting a status signal indicatingthe error is not corrected; if the status signal indicating that theerror has not been corrected is transmitted, making a determination asto whether operation of the electrographic printing or copying devicecan proceed without the module that has the error and, if so,transmitting a status signal indicating that operation is possible,otherwise transmitting a status signal that the error is not corrected;and if after handling all of the affected modules, the status signalindicates that the error has not been corrected in at least one module,then ending the error-correcting mode and reporting the moduleregistering an error, otherwise ending the error-correcting mode andtransmitting a status signal indicating the error has been corrected.22. An electrographic printing or copying device, comprising: an inputfor printable media to be printed; a print module including at least oneprintable media transport path, said printing modules printing on saidprintable media; an output connected to said printing module to receiveprinted printable media; a controller connected to said input and tosaid print module and to said output to detect an occurrence of an errorand determine whether the error can be corrected automatically, saidcontroller switching to error correcting mode in case the error can becorrected, otherwise ending the main error-correcting mode; testingcomponents in a direction opposite to a media flow path including,commanding a module to correct an error, transmitting a status signalindicating the error has been corrected if the correction is successfulor if no error is present, otherwise transmitting a status signalindicating that the error is not corrected; in case the status signalthat the error has not been corrected is transmitted, determiningwhether operation of the printing or copying device can proceed withoutthe module having the error, then transmitting a status signalindicating operation possible, otherwise transmitting a status signalindicating error not corrected; and after all affected modules have beenqueried, ending error-correcting mode if an occurrence of a statussignal indicating that an error is not corrected and at least one modulepersists and reporting an error in the error module, otherwise endingthe error-correcting mode and transmitting a status signing indicatingerror corrected.
 23. A computer program product, including a computerprogram for use in controlling a compute to perform the methodcomprising the steps of: a method for automatically eliminating an errorduring the operation of an electrographic printing or copying device,comprising the steps of: upon the occurrence of an error in a component,determining whether the error can be automatically corrected in a mainerror correction mode; in case the error can be corrected, switchingindividual modules to an error-correcting mode in succession; in casethe error cannot be corrected, ending the main error-correcting mode;querying components in modules in a sequence opposite to that of aprintable media transport path, said querying including, transmitting acommand to correct the error to a module, transmitting a status signalindicating error corrected if the error correction is successful or ifno error is present, otherwise transmitting a status signal indicatingthe error is not corrected; if the status signal indicating that theerror has not been corrected is transmitted, making a determination asto whether operation of the electrographic printing or copying devicecan proceed without the module that has the error and, if so,transmitting a status signal indicating that operation is possible,otherwise transmitting a status signal that the error is not corrected;and if after handling all of the affected modules, the status signalindicates that the error has not been corrected in at least one module,then ending the error-correcting mode and reporting the moduleregistering an error, otherwise ending the error-correcting mode andtransmitting a status signal indicating the error has been corrected.